South of Sunday
by CSI1983
Summary: When Sara and Grissom are paired for the Overseas Forensic Convention, what adventures await them on the other side of the world?
1. Chapter 1

A/N - _It has been quite a while since I have done a CSI fanfiction and i thought it would be nice to return to one of my great loves. This story explores my home New Zealand a little so I hope that you find it informative and fun. The O.F.C is not real, as far as I know anyway, and as always the characters, aside from the obvious that is, don't belong to me. I lost them in a game of poker. So enjoy and tell me what you think..._

South Of Sunday

Chapter One – Hold On

Jim Brass took a deep breath before he knocked on Gil Grissom's office door. It wasn't bad news that held him back; in fact it was the complete opposite. It was the curve ball that was thrown in with the good news that made him hesitate.

"Enter."

Gil Grissom's office was not normal by any kind of standard. It held bottles and jars of specimens, dead butterflies in display cases and dark corners where many an experiment had been executed. The man himself sat behind his desk, a small pile of paperwork unopened in front of him, hands busy polishing his glasses.

"Hey Jim. What's up?"

Jim took a seat across from Grissom without it being offered, his hands still clutching a file that he had picked up a little over an hour ago.

"Not much. Has Ecklie spoken to you yet?"

Grissom shook his head, a small smile on his face.

"Thankfully no. Why?"

Jim waved the file in Grissom's eyesight.

"We got the results for the O.F.C"

Grissom was now actually sitting on the edge of his seat. The O.F.C or Overseas Forensics Convention was a six yearly event that the FBI used as a testing facility of the best CSI's from six different countries. It was a huge deal to be chosen.

"Well Brass, me or Ecklie?"

Conrad Ecklie and Grissom were long-time work colleagues and long-time enemies. Grissom had nothing against the man personally but the way he did his job made Grissom incredible irritated. Ecklie was more about pushing papers then doing anything else. Jim smiled at Grissom's rare impatience.

"You."

Grissom broke into one of his rare grins. He had been to the O.F.C once last season and to be picked twice was very unusual. His turned his focus back to Brass.

"Who did they pair me with?"

"Sara Sidle."

Grissom's excitement dimmed a little. Sara was an incredible CSI but their personal history left things more then complicated. They had been doing a little dance around each other ever since he had called her in to investigate a death of a new CSI some years ago. It always ended the same way each time. Either he or she would retreat and the other would be hurt. Now she would be his partner and be living in close quarters with him. He was still trying to decided if he liked that idea when Jim's voice pulled him from his thoughts.

"It'll be a good chance for her Gris"

Grissom nodded.

"I know, it's just it's her. It's Sara."

Jim was just about to respond when the woman herself came into the room, a huge grin in her face.

"We got him Grissom! The husband planted the bomb!"

She dumped herself into the seat next to Jim, her posture relaxed. She had her dark pretty hair tucked into a clip, the grease on her cheeks and blue overalls giving her a completely innocent, though dirty, air.

"Sara, have you ever heard of the O.F.C?"

Sara nodded a frown on her face.

"Yeah of course, who hasn't?"

Grissom smiled.

"Well, you and I are going"

Sara's brown eyes widened and she looked at Grissom in disbelief.

"You and I? We're going to the O.F.C?"

Grissom nodded as Sara struggled to keep hold of her excitement, the grin on her face getting wider.

"When are we going?"

Jim handed them each a ticket.

"In two days. They tend to keep everything quite until it's required. You guys are off to New Zealand this time. I had better go, enjoy your packing."

Jim left the room and Sara turned her attention back to Grissom.

"I thought they would have picked Ecklie this season. I mean do they usually pick a person twice?"

Grissom shook his head.

"Not usually. I would love to have been there to see Ecklie's face, he was so sure he had it in the bag."

Sara raised an eyebrow.

"Did you just say something bitter?"

Grissom shrugged.

"I am but human."

Sara studied Grissom for a moment before another smile blossomed on her face.

"You're enjoying this ego stroke aren't you? Don't deny it! I'm right there beside you of course, but never the less you're enjoying it."

Grissom gave her a studied look.

"Well you are one of the best, you deserve this chance."

"It's you who helped get me here."

She matched Grissom's look with one of her own, and the air crackled between them, like it had done thousands of time before. Grissom looked away first, Sara's gaze becoming too intense for him to leave safely. A fortnight together was certainly going to test any kind of personal boundaries that they had erected when within each other's presence. Sara let the air cool again between them before turning the O.F.C back into the safe topic.

"So what's it like? The O.F.C I mean?"

"Well it has been six years, so anything I saw could have changed but it's a lot of fun. They do a mock crime scene and you and your partner have to solve it and then after a week we are split into different pairs with the other countries. It's a great way to make friends with fellow CSI's."

Sara smiled.

"It does sound like fun. I had better get home and start my packing. Oh the file on the bomber needs your signature then it can go to Brass."

Sara gave him a half smile and turned on her heel, leaving Grissom to finish off the files before they left for their adventure.

Sara's alarm clock went off at three am two days later and the urge to hit the snooze button was almost overwhelming. She had packed the day before so all she had to do was roll out of bed, shower and then grab some breakfast. After making sure everything was locked securely, she called a taxi to come and get her to take her to the airport. Grissom was waiting for her at the check in, a coffee in each hand.

'Thought you could do with one."

Sara took the coffee with a smile before running her eyes down Grissom's attire. He was wearing a pair of fitting jeans and a white shirt that had a large Monarch butterfly on it; cursive writing at the bottom said _Danuas Plexippus, _announcing Grissom's geekdom to the rest of the worldBut she loved it anyway. He had a black coat slung over his shoulder in James Dean fashion and his suitcase was leaning against the back of his legs. He led her to the luggage check in and they got rid of their awkward cases before taking a seat near the boarding gate. Sara turned to Grissom.

"Are you excited?"

Grissom gave a half shrug. Sara smiled and nudged him gently with her elbow.

"You are, I can see it in your eyes. Anyway, you would have to have a heart of stone to not be excited about this."

Grissom gave a half smile.

"Ok I admit I am. It's not to often I get to meet so many like minded people in the same room. I'm looking forward to who's there this season."

Sara granted him another smile.

"I like your top by the way."

Grissom pulled the fabric away to look at it.

"Thanks, Lindsey made it for me a couple of years ago."

Sara sat back further in her seat.

"Has Catherine ever gone to one of these things?"

Grissom shook his head.

"Nope. She told them that she would go when she could bring Lindsey. She would rather not go at all then have to spend a fortnight away from Lindsey."

Sara nodded.

"Fair enough. Do you know why the FBI does these tests?"

"No idea. I guess if you have the money to think of weird things to do with it, then why not? They did amazing things last season, so it can only get better."

Silence fell again and it didn't lift until they were being shown to their seats and Sara exclaimed over seating in business class.

"We are definitely not in Kansas anymore."

Grissom settled himself beside her with a smile.

"They must want us well rested."

Sara slept most of the way and she was surprised when they landed in New Zealand after what felt like a quick flight. The airport was much smaller then any that she had ever seen and they were able to find there way out of the gate without to much pushing and swearing from anybody else, they were all pretty civilised. They spotted to the left of them a tall blonde man dressed in a black suit, sunglasses and held a sign that proclaimed their names in bold black ink. Sara exchanged a quick glance with Grissom before they headed over the strange man. He took off his sunglasses, revealing green eyes, and gave them a hard look.

"Gil Grissom and Sara Sidle?"

They both nodded and the man held out his hand.

"ID's please."

They both handed the man their passports and waited while his eyes flicked between the paper and them.

"Ok let's get your luggage."

They followed the man in black to the luggage claim, both relieved when their bags were amounst the first off the luggage carousal. They followed the man out of the airport and was confronted with the stiff breeze that covered Sara's bare arms in goose pimples. She took the jumper off from around her waist, popping it on as they continued to a black van, threw their bags in the back before taking a seat in the darkened vehicle.

"Where are we going?"

The blond man ignored Grissom's question, his eyes locked on the road in front of him. Grissom glanced at Sara, who shrugged before continuing her task of looking out of the window. It might be cold but the sun was bright and she needed her sunglasses on as she watched the immense expansive of greenery zip by as they continued to drive through a stretch of country road. They had driven for a few hours before it slowly changed to the beginnings of an ocean view. They drove the truck into the belly of a large ferry, the man finally turning to acknowledge their presence.

"We have three hours before we dock on the south island. So go for a wonder and enjoy the view. Do you have New Zealand money on you?"

The pair nodded mutely and the man flashed them an unexpectedly bright smile.

"Good. I'm Frank by the way. Sorry about the tough FBI routine before, they like the O.F.C to have an air of mystery to it. They have a food court on the third level if you want something to munch on. Oh and before I forget, I have to give you these."

He handed them each a dark bag.

"Put these on. You guys are going to freeze wearing those clothes. I'll come and find you when it's time to leave."

Frank left the truck and Sara gave Grissom a wide smile.

"I'm already enjoying myself and we haven't done anything yet."

Grissom smiled back and opened the dark bag. It contained a rather large red and black jacket, the fabric rough against his hand as he pulled it out of the back and slipped it over his head. It made him instantly warmer; the neck was high and settled itself just below his chin as he continued to investigate the bag. There was a pair of black gloves, thick thermal socks and a beanie. He glanced at Sara, who had put on everything, including the beanie, her face almost completely hidden under the dark material.

"I feel ridiculous. Warm but ridiculous."

Grissom gave her another smile as he finished putting his own gear own before palming his wallet, putting it into one of the deep pockets of his new jacket.

"Right, lets go exploring shall we?"

Sara nodded and followed him out of the truck, carefully watching her step as they moved out of the belly of the ship and made their way to the top deck. She breathed deep the salt air, letting the cold wind bruise her face. They were surrounded by beautiful crystal water, the faint outlines of hills far in the distance.

"It's gorgeous. Look at how blue the ocean is."

Grissom stood close beside her, his arms resting on the guardrails. He smiled widely and pointed to something in the distance. Sara followed his finger as a small torpedo of grey shot in and out of the water, close to the ship.

"It's a dolphin! Wow, I haven't seen one of those in real life before. What kind is it Grissom?"

"Bottlenose dolphin. It's New Zealand's most comment species. She's beautiful isn't she?"

Eventually the dolphin got tired of chasing the ship and disappeared back under the ocean and Grissom turned to Sara.

"Hungry?"

"Starving."

They made their way to the third level and the smell of food made her stomach rumble. She stood beside Grissom at the counter, her eyes wondering up and the down the menu.

"Lets get some fish and chips. They look good."

Grissom frowned.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Order the fish and chips Grissom. Be adventurous."

She gave him another smile as he placed the order, taking the two cokes he was handed, letting Sara choose the seat, one closet to the window. A young girl brought over the food over a few moments later, smiling as she placed the large basket of food in the centre of the table with a red bottle beside it.

"Enjoy your meal."

Sara dove in first, picking up and chip and popping it into her mouth.

"That's good. Tastes different to french fries though. Much nicer."

Grissom was forced to agree and they remained in silence as they ate the rest of their hot meal, sipping their drinks and looking out of the window. All too soon, Grissom spotted Frank coming towards them, a smile on his face.

"Hey guys, enjoying a bit of kiwi food I see. We're about to dock so we need to head back down to the car."

Grissom finished off his coke before they followed Frank back down to the truck, his excitement becoming harder and harder to contain. What would be waiting for them once they got to the south island?


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N - I usually finish writing a story before I post it on fanfic, that way I know exactly where I am going and it's easier ti make changes and less pressure to post regulalrly. But this story has only been done in bits and peices so bear with me as I am writing this mostly as you read it. I hope that you enjoy the chapter..._

Chapter Two – Situation Vacant

After the ferry ride, it was another two hours of driving before they finally came to a stop outside of a huge house nestled in amongst dozens of trees.

"Welcome to Green Cottage, the location for the OFC event this season. Let's get you settled so you can meet the others."

Frank helped them unload their cases, insisting on carrying Sara's, despite her flow of protests. She stopped when they reached the front of the house, her breath taken from her for a moment as she realized the sure enormity of the house before them. It had at least three floors to it, with large windows and an old fashioned door. Frank ushered them inside out of the cold and they followed him mutely up a massive winding staircase.

"Miss Sidle, this is your room."

He laid her suitcase on the bed as Sara ran her eyes over her home for the next fortnight. It was a large room, with lemon wallpaper that made it seem bigger still, with its large windows, paintings and even a small TV, a dresser in the corner completed it perfectly. She heard Frank usher Grissom into his room and she moved across the hall, her smile wide.

"Identical rooms. Nice though."

Grissom was busy looking out the open window. Sara moved to stand beside him, taking in the share vastness of the space before them. She had read in a book that only 25 of New Zealand's population lived in the South Island and she found it easy to believe. As far as she could see there was nothing but rolling hills, snow covered mountains, majestic trees and the occasional splattering of sheep.

"Close your eyes and take a deep breath."

On pure instinct, she did as she was told, so used to taking orders from Grissom after all these years. She breathed deep through her nose, inhaling deeply the heady mix of damp earth, pine and the sweet smell of on-coming rain.

"It's going to rain."

Frank interrupted their nature moment with a slight clearing of his throat.

"You can take off that cold weather gear now, it's warm enough in here."

Sara had forgotten she was wearing the extra layers, her toes, hands and limbs warm and toasty in the added material. She sat on Grissom's bed and took off her boots, removing the thermal socks before putting her boots back on. She stripped off her rough woollen jacket, gloves and beanie, tossing them onto her own bed before going back to Grissom's room. Frank gave them both a smile.

"Let's head downstairs shall we?"

Frank led them back down the stairs, pushing open a large wooden door that Sara didn't notice before, one that opened to a huge living room with red carpets, plush furniture and a huge roaring fire.

"Welcome USA! We've been waiting for you. Take a seat and we can get this show on the road."

A pretty blond pointed to some spare seats, which Sara sunk into gratefully. As lovely as this place was, she could feel the tiredness starting to seep into her brain. She was also in dire need of something else to eat, because even though the fish and chips were great, they seemed to have been absorbed into her body quicker then she realized, it felt like she hadn't eaten in days. The pretty blond was now standing at the front of the room, her smile bright and friendly.

"Welcome everyone to the OFC!"

There was a small smattering of applause before she continued.

"I know that for most of you it was along trip here so I won't go overboard with too much detail, just covering the specifics for now. My name is Cathleen and my partner David and I will be your hosts for this season, as well as Frank here who will make sure that everything is up to the standard that is expected of us. If you'll look at this sheet that David is handing out, we'll just go over the rules."

Sara took the sheet handed to her with a small smile and didn't bother doing anything more then glancing over the list, letting her ears do the job for her.

"One of the biggest rules here is that at no point can you discuss the scenario's given too you with anyone other then your partner. If you do then you will be disqualified from the convention. Also unacceptable behaviour, such as cheating and fighting will also be met with the same action. So as long as you keep it clean, we should all be in for a good time. For those smokers here tonight, please go outside to do so. This house is over a hundred years old and we are only renting it for the convention, so please also be careful with the belongings. Alright, now that that serious business is out of the way lets go and have some dinner."

It was at that moment that Cathleen mentioned food that Sara's nose caught the whiff of something good cooking in the kitchen that must be near by. Her stomach rumbled and Grissom paused to look at her.

"Did your stomach just rumble?"

Sara rolled her eyes at him.

"Yes. I believe it's called hunger. Now lets eat."

They followed the rest of the large group into a dining room, one that was set out as if it was to be an eloquent feast, not a gathering of hungry CSI's from all over the world. She took her seat beside Grissom and found herself facing a pair of dark green eyes, ones that resembled a cat. The owner of them, a tall dark pretty woman, flashed Sara a wide smile.

"I'm Maria, from Italy."

"Sara, USA. Long trip over huh?"

Maria rolled her large eyes.

"Tell me about it. But my partner, Antonio says that it is worth the journey. I hope he's right."

Sara smiled.

"My partner Grissom, says the same thing."

Maria's eyes became wider still, passing to Grissom who sat on Sara's right.

"Your partner is Gil Grissom?"

Sara nodded.

"Why?"

Maria shook her head, her hair shifting slightly around her shoulders. Before she could respond Grissom turned to her, a smile on his face.

"I could not help but hear my name being mentioned. Hi Maria."

Maria smiled brightly at him.

"You are very well known in my country, Mr. Grissom. We use your work as an example for so many university courses. You are a great man."

Grissom felt the slight flush visit his cheeks. He didn't mind being complimented but it seemed even more genuine when it was coming from another CSI who was also at the top of their field.

"Thank you Maria. I feel honoured that others can learn from me."

Sara felt her smile grow bigger as she watched the two throw banter back and forth, liking the idea that Grissom was getting gratification for his work, something that was long over due. He was certainly the best CSI she had ever met, had ever worked with and it was nice to see him get that recognition. The conversation was cut short when Cathleen came into the dining room, a large dish in her hands.

"As you are here in New Zealand, we are going to try some traditional kiwi foods on you. Your main is something we call Shepard's Pie. It is made with mince, vegetables, mashed potatoes and cheese."

She began spooning it into plates and Sara watched as one travelled her way. It smelt fantastic, rich, hot and meaty. The mince was a rich brown mixed with corn, peas, beans, carrots, mushrooms, and capsicum, topped with mashed potato, which had grilled cheese on top. She waited impatiently for everyone to be served before picking up her fork and eating. It tasted as good as it smelt and Sara felt much better having something hot and filling in her stomach. Conversation was pretty limited as people ate, so Sara did a bit of people watching as she chewed. Cathleen and David were the easy picks, she had seen them just moments before, they were also the ones dashing in between the kitchen and the dining room, playing host. Maria, Antonio sitting beside her, was eating quietly but with great gusto, obviously the long flight had made them hungry as well. The couple beside them weren't really eating, using their forks as investigative tools as they dissected dinner, and pushing their plates away when they had decided that it wasn't for them. Her eyes travelled from person to person and aside from the blonde pair, everyone was eating with great enthusiasm, soaking bits of bread with the last of the rich meat.

"The blond pair sitting beside Maria?"

Grissom's voice was low as Sara nodded.

"They are from Sweden. They are legendary in their country. The couple next to them are from Australia, then England and New Zealand. Quite a mix really."

Sara sipped from her glass of water, washing down some bread.

"Do you know any of these people?"

Grissom nodded as he smiled at the brown haired Englishman he had just pointed out.

"Andrew over there? He was here last season. I really need to introduce you two."

Grissom went back to his meal and Sara was about to do the same when she felt the burning of someone's eyes on her. It was the man from Sweden who was looking at her, his cool blue eyes unwavering as she stared back. He looked away first, talking to his partner in Swedish. A sudden movement drew her attention, realizing that the dirty dishes were being collected and handed down to the end of the table. She passed hers over with everyone else before Cathleen reappeared again, a large cake in her hands. Sara couldn't see it very well from her position at the lower end of the table but what she could see looked delicious.

"Dessert is a classic NZ favourite called Pavlova. It was made when a beautiful Russian ballerina called Anna Pavlova visited NZ some thirty odd years ago. The baker who had made the very first Pavlova saw the dessert's namesake dance and was so taken with her beautiful, light dancing that he wanted to capture it somehow and the Pavlova was born. It is made out of nothing more then egg whites, sugar, baking powder and flour. It is usually decorated with kiwi fruit and strawberries and served with cream."

Cathleen began to serve the dessert and when Sara got hers, she found her mouth begin to water all on it's own accord. Cathleen had been right, the dessert looked like, even when it was just sitting on it's plate, the bright red of the strawberries and the dark green of the kiwi fruit contrasting sharply with the white cake. Sara ate a small piece with a little of everything, pleasantly surprised at just how sweet the dessert was. She finished it off quickly and sat back in her chair, content and deliciously full. Grissom was doing the same beside her, his hands lying over his stomach.

"If we keep eating like this, I'm going to be so fat by the time we get back to the US."

Sara laughed and let her eyes close as she listened to the mull of activity around her as cutlery scrapped plates. She could sense eyes on her again, and when she opened her own she was confronted with the same cold pair as before. She narrowed her eyes, giving him her best evil glare, before turning her attention back to the people around her. Cathleen was back again, clapping her hands to gain everyone's attention.

"Ok folks, that was dinner. If you wish to head back into the living room, there is coffee and tea for those of you who want to mingle."

Grissom took Sara's hand and pulled her from her chair and into the living room. He gave her a smile as she glared at him.

"I want you to meet Andrew."

The man in question came into the room moments later, dragging his partner behind him. The two men embraced warmly and Sara, not for the first time, found herself confronted with yet another side of Grissom. He had never seen him give such open physical affection for anyone, usually it never branched past a quick touch or smile. And yet here he was hugging this man like they were lifetime friend or something approaching it.

"Andrew this is Sara."

The first thing that struck Sara about Andrew was his size. He wasn't fat but he was very solid, the kind of guy that would be better served as a bodyguard rather then a scientist. He had no hair and Sara could see the beginnings of a tattoo tucked under his shirtsleeve. His voice was smooth and his grip confident as he shook her hand.

"Ah the famous Sara Sidle. I have heard much about you over the years."

Sara raised an eyebrow at Grissom before giving Andrew a warm smile.

"I wish I could say the same about you but I can't. It's nice to meet you though."

Andrew ushered his partner forward, one that was dwarfed by his share size.

"This is Anna."

Anna was petite; she made Sara feel like a giant. She had short brown hair that made her resemble a pixie.

"Hi."

Sara felt the eyes on her again and turned to find herself face to face with the owners.

"Hello, my name is Brian and this is my partner Ingrid. We are from Sweden."

Sara shook their hands, her nerves getting the better of her. Something about this man was making her feel uneasy but she was determined to be polite.

"Sara. This is my partner Grissom."

They all shook hands and made small talk before Sara moved on to another couple, the last couple by her calculations. They must be the Australians. She introduced herself; putting their names, Jodie and Mark, in amongst all the others she had collected this evening. She was getting to the point of no return and could feel the desperate need for sleep tucking at her body. She made her way over to Grissom, who was in deep conversation with Andrew, putting her mouth close to his ear, catching a whiff of his soap.

"I'm off to bed."

Grissom nodded and mouthed goodnight before turning back to his conversation. Sara waved to Maria and made her way back upstairs and to her room, stripping off quickly and putting on her PJ's before slipping beneath the warm covers. Someone had been in the room, because her electric blanket had been put on and the bed was a toasty temperature and she found herself slipping into a warm, easy sleep.

When Grissom shook her awake the next morning, Sara felt totally refreshed and ready for the day ahead.

"Hey Grissom, how did you sleep?"

Grissom nodded as he turned to leave the room.

"Pretty well. We have to be down there by nine."

Sara glanced at the clock, relieved to see she had a good hour before she had to be anywhere. She showered quickly and settled for dressing in jeans and a Harley-Davidson t-shirt that Nick had given her ages ago, pulling on a pair of sneakers as an after thought. She grabbed her grey hoodie before knocking on Grissom's door. Grissom pulled it open with a smile.

"That was quick."

Sara shrugged as Grissom fell into step as they moved down the hallway.

"I aim to please."

Grissom was wearing the same basic uniform of t-shirt and jeans, his sneakers tattered and scuffed. They moved into the dining room for breakfast, eating quickly before moving back into the same living room as last night. Cathleen clapped her hands again to get everybody's attention before giving them a megawatt smile.

"Good morning. I hope you all slept well. Today is the start of the OFC so I hope that you are all well rested. The first stage of the competition is that we give you a crime scene to process and evaluate. Then you will come back here and be given a coroner's report, a list of suspects as well as police statements. You have week to draw whatever conclusion you may from the evidence and what you saw. Then you will give the presentation to your peers and points will be given for the most accurate scenario. Next week you will be divided up again, this time paired with a different person from a different country and you will go through the same process again. This is to see how you cope with dealing and working with people you would not normally work with. Any questions?"

Silence greeted her question so Cathleen continued.

"So I guess we'll make a start. Countries were picked at random to select the order in which you will go and the USA will be first. You will have two hours to go through the scene. Frank will escort you there and escort you back. Good luck guys."

There was a polite splattering of applause as Grissom and Sara stood, following Frank back out of the living room. He closed the door behind them before he spoke.

"Go and get your cold weather gear on, it's freezing out there today."

Sra and Grissom did as they were told and made it back down stairs in a matter of moments, which was when Frank opened the door for them and lead them into the cold. The walk was surprisingly brief, just fifteen minutes up an old, well-worn track that circled away from the main house. This house was much smaller, the painting chipped and in dire need of replacing. To the left of the steps was a high pile of gear that they would need, field kits and cameras to name a few.

"I will time you from the moment you ope the front door. Good luck guys. If you need anything, I'll be right here."

Sara took a deep breath, pleased to hear Grissom to do the same. It was the first time in a long time that her nerves were getting frayed from just working a crime scene and it was a comfort that Grissom, Mr Solid Foundation, was just as nervous as her. He reached out to open the door, pausing to look at her.

"Ready?"

Sara nodded and Grissom pushed open the door, hearing the faint beep as Frank set the timer on them. Sara switched her mind off to the competition and where she was, deciding to focus on the scene before her.

"Blood drops."

Sara looked down to where Grissom was pointing, clicking on her latex gloves and focusing the camera in her hands. She noted the shape of the droplets, before turning back to Grissom.

"They're facing the wrong way."

Grissom crouched beside her, a frown on his face.

"Explain to me what you mean."

Sara pointed her finger at the fattest of the three drops.

"The way it's facing, it fell while the subject was moving out of the house. Catherine explained the direction of blood drops to me after that mass killing we had soon after I arrived. Who ever did this was leaving the house."

Grissom nodded as he made a note of the information in the notebook he had found in the kit.

"Good catch. Lets go and find out victims shall we?"

Sara nodded and they separated, Sara moving into the kitchen and Grissom into the living room. Who ever the victims were, they had obviously been caught off guard. Pasta was boiling on the stove and vegetables were in the middle of being sliced on the counter top. Sara went over the kitchen carefully, trying to find any kid of indication that there had been a struggle of some sort but she found no prove. It just looked as if they had just decided to up and leave half way through cooking dinner. Even the plates, place mats, cutlery and napkins were still sitting neatly on the counter. No knives were missing and with lack of evidence in the room, she moved into the living room. It was the same as the kitchen, only with drinks and nibbles instead. Sara noted how brown the fruit was and picked up a crisp, breaking it experimentally in her hand.

"It's stale. They've been here a while. And the ice has melted down in the drinks. Considering the weather, it would have taken a while."

Grissom nodded as they took pictures before moving to the bottom of a staircase.

"More blood and it faces the same way as the other drops by the front door."

Grissom and Sara made their way carefully up the steps, noting another two sets of blood drops before they came to stand in the doorway of the closet bedroom. A teenage girl sat in her bed, her shoulders and back resting against the headboard, her lower body tucked neatly beneath the covers. And if it weren't for the bullet hole in the centre of her eyes, this would have looked completely innocent. Sara took numerous pictures before lifting the cover on the bed slightly, revealing what she had first suspected.

"She's fully dressed, right down to her sneakers."

Grissom said nothing as he continued to look around the room, pausing at the mirror. Sara came to stand beside him, taking in the red cross that lay in the centre of the glass, an open lipstick beside it. Sara took pictures before bagging the lipstick.

"Ok, lets go and find the others."  
They left the room and moved down the hall again, stopping at the next room. It was the same scene repeated in the room before, right down to the red lipstick on the mirror. They moved to the last and final room, the parents. They sat the same way their daughters did, the bullet entering precisely between their eyes, fully clothed under the covers. Sara and Grissom processed the room as they would any other crime scene, precisely and repeatedly until they were certain they had gathered all that they needed. They printed all the doors in the house, gathering wallets together to help ID the family, searched around the bodies for any kind of evidence. By the time Frank came into the room to collect them and take them back to the house, Sara and Grissom were through processing. They stayed silent until they were back in Grissom's room, having given Frank the film to be developed. He handed them the coroner report, witness statements, list of suspects as well as an evaluation of the family before leaving them to it. Grissom turned to Sara as soon as they door closed behind him.

"What do we know?"

Sara walked over to the whiteboard that someone had put there in their absence and preceded to write down the things they knew for sure.

"They were surprised by the attack. Everything was left as if they were going to be back at any moment. It happened at night judging by the food and how stale the chips were and the attacker hurt himself somehow."

Grissom smiled at her.

"Good. Now according to the coroner report, the youngest victim, one Susan Meyers, had some defensive wounds on her hands, as well as skin under her nails."

Sara shook her head.

"Judging by the amount of blood we found, it would have to be more then just nails to make that wound. He would have to have been gouged by something."

Grissom nodded slowly.

"You're right. Did we collect anything from the house that may help?"

Sara frowned as she began to shift through the pile of evidence from the crime scene, her shoulders slumping when she came up empty handed.

"Nothing. What about the suspects? Did any of them have any obvious injuries?"

Grissom glanced over the sheet before shaking his head.

"Nope."

Sara frowned at him.

"You mean we've hit a dead end and we've just started?"

Grissom smiled at her.

"No I mean we have nothing to go on in that area. The next question is, why did he draw crosses on the mirrors of each room? And why in the world did he put them in their beds?


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N - I know that this has been a while coming, but I have been flat tack at work whik leaves me tired and needing sleep. But I found myself needing to move on with this story. So enjoy and tell me what you think..._

Chapter Three – Sensitive To A Smile

Even though she was bound by frustration, Sara tried to keep reminding herself that this was a game. She knew that this game had quite a large deciding factor in her future, but it was still a game. But even with those reassurances from herself and Grissom, she wanted to win. She really did. She wanted to prove that she deserved to be there with the other of the CSI's, to prove that she was the best of the best, not some unfortunate tag along to Grissom.

"So why did he draw on the mirror and put them in their bed's?"

Grissom had all the reports that they had been given earlier in the week spread out before him. They had a mere twenty-four hours before they needed to present their presentation to the rest of the group, and Sara seemed to be the only one with frustration oozing from every pore. Grissom, in true Grissom style, was taking it all in his stride, looking to the entire world as if he had the rest of his life to solve the case, not a matter of hours. Only the all-nighters that Sara knew he had been pulling recently had been giving him away. He to could feel the end breathing down the back of his neck. They weren't given that much information about the people in the house and they had only recently been able to narrow the suspect list to two but both men had a alibi for where they were at the apparent time of the killing. Sara sighed and sat down on the other end of the table, pulling the evidence they had collected towards her, ready to go over it all again. It was as she fished around in the bag again that she felt something foreign hit her hand. It was a small, non descript piece of white paper in a small evidence bag. It was hardly surprising that they had missed it over and over again; it must have gotten caught in one of the folds of the bag.

"Grissom check this out"

Sara flattened the paper on the table, her eyebrows rising as she read the contents.

_Amanda,_

_I'm going to kill you. I'm going to shoot each of your fucken family and walk away. You mean nothing to me anymore. And never will again._

The letter was signed with a lipstick 'X' that was smudged slightly.

"I think we just found our first piece of real evidence. Did you pick that up at the crime scene?"

Sara nodded as she placed the letter back in its bag.

"Yeah but I forgot about it. I still think that the boyfriend did it."

Grissom shrugged, never one to really guess at anything.

"He did. NZ is freezing and the body temperature's could have been off, which means he could have been there at the proper time."

"We have two suspects and we can't narrow it down. We'll keep working on it ok? We will only stop when we are collected for the presentation."

So the hours ticked by and all too soon they were collected by Frank and as Maria and Antonio gave the first presentation, they soon discovered that they were not the only team to have trouble with this scenario. After all the presentations were given, Cathleen stood, a wide smile on her face.

"Unfortunately, we won't be getting the results until the end of the convention but if it helps at all, I can tell you who the killer was and why they did it. Does everyone want to know?"

A collective nod of heads was all the answer she needed and Sara leant forward with interest. She wanted to know if she had been right.

"The boyfriend killed them all. The parents had forbidden him to see their daughter, and after a few Romeo and Juliet style dates, the daughter agreed with her father. The boyfriend promised his revenge and the aftermath is what you saw."

Sara gave Grissom a wide grin and he nodded his congratulations before Cathleen clapped for their attention again.

"There is planned trip for the zoo if anyone is interested. The van leaves here at 12 ok?"

Sara decided not to go to the zoo and stuck around the house, heading to the kitchen for a coffee. Cathleen was there, covered in flour as she dashed between three different pots. She glanced at Sara as she walked in, flashing her a smile.

"Hi Sara. I thought you went to the zoo?"

"Nah, it's not really my thing. Do you need a hand?"

It only took Cathleen a second to decide before throwing Sara a blue and white striped apron.

"That would be great. Do you know how to make scones?"

Feeling foolish, Sara shook her head. Cathleen gave a good-natured laugh before handing her a large wooden spoon.

"In that case you can stir the casserole for me and keep an eye on the potatoes."

Sara took to her task easily, watching as Cathleen stirred the scone batter with practised ease, waiting until Sara had turned off the elements before waving her over.

"Roll up your sleeves and knead the dough for me. Not too much or they'll end up tough."

She showed Sara how to do it and Sara found herself quite enjoying the action, it was soothing. They worked in happy silence before Cathleen gave a sigh and leaned against the counter.

"Ok that's dinner done. Give it twenty odd minutes and we'll have a scone with a coffee. Want to help me make a Swiss roll while we wait?"

Sara nodded and watched as Cathleen carefully cut a large, thick sponge into thin, long pieces.

"Ok, slather that in jam."

Sara did as she was told and Cathleen laid the sponge on a damp tea towel before rolling it tightly long ways. Sara followed the action with the next three rolls before nestling them safely in the fridge.

"Hey Lena, what's for dinner?"

David came into the room, pausing when he saw Sara.

"Hello Sara. I thought you were with the others?"

Sara shook her head as she soaped up her hands, trying to get rid of the sticky jam that had found it's way onto her fingers.

"Not really my thing. Why are you still here?"

David approached the larger pot where the casserole was cooling, his fingers disappearing before reamerging with a chunk of meat.

"Had to make sure Lena stayed in the kitchen. Ow!"

Cathleen slapped David hard on the wrist before shooing him out of the kitchen, rolling her eyes at Sara.

"Men."

Sara smiled back before beginning the task of cleaning the kitchen; her curiosity now peaked over Cathleen and David.

"Cathleen, can I ask you a question?"

Cathleen nodded.

"Ask away."

"Are you and David….involved?"

Cathleen paused in her cleaning, a frown on her pretty face.

"You mean romantically?"

Sara nodded, quite taken back as Cathleen burst into sudden laughter.

"Hell no! He's my brother-in-law."

Sara, again feeling foolish, felt a slight blush creep onto her cheeks. That explained why they seemed so comfortable together, why they worked like a well-oiled machine.

"But that's not the first time I have been asked that question. He's been married to my sister for about seven years now and I've been working with him for the last ten."

Sara nodded before glancing at the ring she had noticed earlier, now perched on the windowsill. It was not a decorative ring, the kind that Sara herself wore, ones with skulls and roses. This one was definitely a romantic type ring, with diamonds and rose stones. Cathleen must have caught her slight head movement before she too looked at the ring.

"That's my wedding ring."

"How long have you been married?"

"Two years. Been together for the last twelve."

Sara frowned.

"If you don't mind me asking, why did it take you so long?"

Cathleen gave her a good-natured smile again.

"Because they only legalised same sex marriages in this country two years ago."

It took Sara a moment to absorb this information. She considered herself a fairly open minded person, didn't care what others did in their bedroom or in their lives as long as it didn't impose on hers. But it still came as a slight shock that Cathleen was a lesbian. A married one at that.

"I see that reaction all the time by the way."

Sara forced a smile.

"What do you mean?"

Cathleen stopped her cleaning to face Sara full on.

"You are surprised that I am a lesbian. And you think I'm going to hit on you."

Sara opened her mouth to protest but decided not to lie. She supposed her view on the gay community was slightly out of focus, as was most people's. Her initial thought had been that Cathleen might hit on her.

"I'm sorry Cathleen. I don't mean anything by it."

Cathleen looked her over with a hard look, one that made Sara's heart race, one that matched Grissom's glares and even went beyond them, before she broke into a wide grin.

"It's ok Sara. I believe you. And anyway, I like a girl with a little meat on her bones."

She pinched Sara's arm lightly, making her laugh. They finished their cleaning in happy chatter before Cathleen gave Sara the task of making coffee while she retrieved the scones from the oven. The sweet smell of cooking bread filled the kitchen and Sara's stomach rumbled. She quickly finished making the coffees and placed them on the small table in the kitchen. Cathleen came over with four large scones, a bowl of whipped cream and a jar of strawberry jam. She sliced open the first scone and proceeded to put on a thick layer of jam before topping it off with a large spoonful of cream and handing it to Sara, who looked at it doubtfully.

"Trust me, this is the only way to eat a scone properly."

Sara took a small bite and was surprised at just how good it tasted. She dug into the rest of it gratefully, sipping at her coffee and talking with Cathleen. At least when Grissom came back from the zoo, she could say that she did something interesting this afternoon. That was if she could get a word in edge wise when he started to talk about what he had seen.

Sara felt the cold eyes on her back again as she talked to Grissom after dinner, only half listening to what he had learned at the zoo.

"Grissom, how well do you know Brian?"

Grissom stopped mid-sentence and glanced at the man in question.

"Not very well. Why?"

"He gives me the creeps. He's always watching me."

Grissom glanced at the man again.

"He does seem to have a bit of a staring problem doesn't he? Have you spoken to him?"

Sara nodded, keeping her back firmly to Brian.

"Yes and I don't think he saw my face."

Grissom frowned at the off the cuff remark.

"What do you mean?"

Sara sighed, running a hand through her hair.

"I mean he was staring at my chest. He's a pervert."

"Oh. Well they would hardly bring a pervert to a convention would they? Especially not an FBI one. If he makes you uncomfortable just avoid him."

Sara glared at Grissom.

"How? We are meant to be mixed up tomorrow and I may end up being paired with him, then what? I don't want to be alone with him. He gives me the willies."

Grissom gave her a small smile.

"Everything will be fine ok? I enjoyed your scones by the way."

Sara shook her head at the very obvious subject jump, deciding to go along with it for the sake of Grissom. He didn't like bad mouthing people unless it was called for.

"Cathleen did most of the work. I just kneaded and cut them up."

Grissom smiled again.

"That explains the almost perfect shapes then. I don't know about the whole jam and cream thing though."

"You didn't like it?"

Grissom shook his head.

"You know me Sara, I'm not the most complicated man."

Sara swallowed her laughter, sipping her coffee to avoid responding. Grissom was one of the most complex people she knew. Even if she had a map, she was certain that she would never be able to figure him out. If Gil Grissom was a simple man, she was an astronaut.

"So how are you enjoying the convention so far?"

"Loving it. I'm glad I came."

Grissom's next comment came out of left field and blindsided her completely.

"Even though it was with me?"

His voice was soft and questioning, the same tone he seemed to take on when they were engaging in flirting or comments like this one. Sara swallowed hard, not knowing how to respond. A simple answer would not suffice and she wasn't sure if a complex one was what he needed. So she answered with a question of her own.

"What do you mean?"

Grissom glanced around before cupping her elbow with his hand and leading her to a more private corner near the roaring fire.

"Our past. I haven't been the easiest person to deal with."

"Well neither have I. I think I caused at least two of those grey hairs on your head. We're friend's, right?"

Grissom nodded slowly; as if unsure this was the response she wanted. Sara smiled at him.

"And friend's travel together and go to forensic conventions. You taught me everything I know about forensics Grissom, you are the reason I'm here. I'm glad I came with you."

Grissom nodded again, seemingly happy with her answer. Sara jumped at the chance to change the topic, trying to put herself on safer ground.

"Have you heard from Catherine yet?"

Grissom nodded.

"She called me while I was at the zoo. She's got the most interesting case going at the moment."

Sara leaned in, instantly all ears.

"What is it?"

Grissom leaned forward too, as if they were sharing an intimate secret.

"A headless horse man. Literally."

"Details."

"A hunter, male, mid to late fifties, was found on his horse, headless. They can't find his head and only have the fingerprints to work with. He has no record and no one has reported him missing, well no one of that small description anyway. The horse was no help, because it was stolen and resold."

Sara let out a breath that stirred Grissom's hair slightly, the strawberry sweetness making his senses tingle.

"Wow. Why is it all the interesting stuff happens when I'm out of the office?"

"Because that's the way of the universe."

Sara smiled before letting her gaze wonder over the room, her eyes falling on Brian, who had been watching the exchange with interest, a dark scowl on his face. Sara tried to reassure herself that Grissom was right, that there was no way that they would let anyone dodgy or bad into such an elusive event. But as she studied Brian, her own instincts were telling her something else entirely. Brian Plotiv was bad news.


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N - Things have been incredibly busy at work lately so I haven't had much time to post but here is the next chapter in this saga. Enjoy and reveiw..._

Chapter Four – Shake Your Foundations

It happened just as Sara had feared it would. Grissom got paired with Cathleen and herself with David. As she got into bed that night, she felt herself dreading the next day. In fact she was having a hard time sleeping. So she put her robe over her PJ"s and knocked on Grissom's door across the hall. He was sitting in his bed reading a large book, putting it down as she entered the room.

"I can't sleep."

Grissom took off his glasses and studied her as she perched herself on his bed.

"You need to tell Cathleen just how uncomfortable he makes you feel, see if she can swap things around, team him up with a man."

Sara shook her head.

"No. I need to be grown up about this. I deal with creeps on a daily basis, one more won't make much of a difference."

"Your choice. If you have any problems with him, come see me ok? I want you to enjoy this trip as much as you can."

Sara nodded as she twisted a stray thread from the bed cover around her finger. She smiled confidently at Grissom.

"I had better get some sleep. Night Grissom."

"Night Sara."

Sara closed the door quietly behind her before moving into her own room, slipping back under the warm covers. It took a long time before she fell into a restless sleep, thoughts of Brian still on her mind.

The next day, the new pairs were sent out to do the scene evaluation, this one a more basic B&E, which Sara was grateful for. Brian was taking every opportunity to be close to her and to touch her. They did their work before moving to Brian's room. It was only an hour before Sara could not take being near him and so excused herself to go on a walk. She set out on one of the trails that Cathleen had told her about, one that circled the house, one that it was impossible to get lost on. She sat on a log and breathed deep the calm cool air, feeling like she was wrapped in a separate world. She was so lost in thought that she never heard the approaching footsteps and only noticed Brian when he was standing in front of her.

"Brian! What are you doing here?"

Brian moved closer, so Sara stood up.

"I was worried about you. Are you ok?"

He touched her shoulder and Sara had to stop herself from grimacing. She hated him touching her, she felt like she had to sterilize every inch of her skin when he did.

"I'm ok Brian. Go back to the house, I'll be there soon."  
Brian shook his head, his eyes flashing as he moved closer to her still. She couldn't move back, the log pressed hard against her ankles.

"You can't tease me like that Sara."

Sara could feel the panic start to rise in her throat, felt that adrenaline begin to pump through her veins.

"What do you mean?"

Brian pressed his body against hers and Sara froze as she felt his very obvious erection press against her.

"You have been teasing me for days. Now I'm going to collect."

Brian grabbed her wrists, his hands pinching the skin, pushing her back into the bushes. It only took Sara a moment to realize exactly what he was trying to do and she found herself too scared to even scream, so she did the next best thing. She fought. She wriggled and moved against him, trying to find some sort of out from under him. But he was stronger then he looked, even though only one hand now held her wrists, the other one making its journey around her body. He smiled at her as he watched her reaction to his touches, his breath coming in quick gasps.

"You'll love it Sara. You know you want it as much as I do."

Sara felt hot tears falling down her cheeks as she continued to fight, trying to grasp at some sort of plan to get him to let her go. Her voice was dry and hot as she spoke, the words hurting her.

"You're right Brian, I want this."

Brian smiled knowingly down at her, his hand releasing her wrists, to settle on her face.

"I knew you did Sara."

Sara didn't react immediately to her freedom, instead inching her hand behind her, trying to locate some sort of weapon. Her fingers soon found what felt like a heavy stick but before she picked it up, Brian saw the slight movement. He punched her hard in the face, making the world spin as he leered down at her.

"Naughty girl."

This time, Sara didn't wait. She punched, scratched and kicked until Brian's weight left her body and she slipped out from beneath him, her shirt torn and ripped, her pants unbuttoned and open. And it was then, staring into those cold blue eyes that fear overtook her and she ran. She didn't know where she was going, didn't care as long as she got away from him. Branches tore at her exposed skin and she let out a small cry as she stumbled across the house, trying to grasp air that seemed to have left her lungs. She ran inside and sprinted up the stairs, headed straight for Grissom's room, pulling the door open, locking it behind her before sinking to the floor, the sobs coming loud and open now.

"Sara, what's wrong? What happened to you?"

She hadn't realized that anyone would be in the room and it made her cry harder as Grissom crouched beside her, his voice gentle. Cathleen came to crouch beside her as well, a gentle hand on her knee. Soon Sara had gotten herself together enough to move off the floor and onto the bed. She took a deep breath before looking at Cathleen.

"Can you please take some pictures of my bruises and scratches?"

"Why?"

"Because I'm going to need them to press charges against Brian."

Grissom's face took on a mask of rare anger, his hands clutched at his sides.

"He did this to you?"

Sara nodded as the tears started again.

"He tried to rape me."

Grissom's face became one of pure rage and he made a move for the door, Cathleen stopping him, a hand on his chest.

"Stay here with Sara. I'll get David."

Grissom nodded and moved back to Sara, who was sobbing quietly. He said nothing, just sat beside her, holding her hand as she cried. He was too angry to speak. Cathleen came back a little while later, camera in hand, David in tow closely behind. He took one look at Sara, swore under his breath and headed back downstairs. Cathleen glanced at Grissom.

"Grissom can you give us some time alone? We need to take pictures, get her clothes together."

Grissom nodded and left the room quietly before striding downstairs. He could hear yelling and he headed towards it, striding into the living room to find David yelling at Brian. David was furious, his face red from anger, which was inches from Brian's own. brian on the other hand was standing smugly beofore him, claiming that Sara was a willing party in the attack. Grissom said nothing, just moved forward and grabbed Brian's throat, pressing him hard into the wall.

"You piece of shit. I should kill you right here for what you did to Sara."

Brian leered at Grissom, a small smile on his face.

"She wanted it."

Grissom swung back to punch him, but was stopped by David, who clutched at his fist.

"Don't Grissom."

Grissom dropped his hand to his side and released Brian.

"Keep him away from me."

Grissom strode back upstairs, knocking on the bedroom door softly. Cathleen opened it, her arms full of evidence bags.

"Can you dress her scratches for me? I have to start processing all of this."

Grissom nodded and moved into the room, closing the door behind him. Sara was sitting on the bed, knees under her chin, rocking back and forth slightly. She was wearing a nightshirt that was huge on her slim frame, one that made her seem so small. He located the first aid kit in the bathroom and approached Sara slowly, the same as he would any other sexual attack victim, keeping his movements limited as he sat on the edge of the bed, as close to her as he could be without scaring her.

"You don't need to be careful Grissom. I'm ok."

Sara had raised her head and was smiling slightly at him. Her face was covered in scratches and bruises, including the one that was tracing her jaw. Looking at her face made his heart break in two. He felt so guilty, why didn't he listen to her when he said there was something about Brian that didn't sit right? He should have talked to Cathleen himself. As he moved closer again to Sara, he saw the deep bruises that circled her slim wrists and her upper arms. He felt the vomit come to his throat, swallowing heavily before beginning the task of cleaning all of Sara's scratches. She closed her eyes as he gently pushed her hair off her face, his thumb tracing her skin slightly before he began to dab the wounds with antiseptic, following them down her throat and upper chest. He felt the bed shake slightly and when he looked up, Sara was sobbing silently again, big fat tears snaking their way down her cheeks and chin. He moved up the bed to sit beside her, putting his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side, stroking her hair, trying to find something to say to make it all better. When he found there was nothing that could make it better, he just held her, trying to stop his own tears from falling with hers.

A few hours later, Sara decided to have a shower and found that she was so stiff and bruised that Cathleen had to help her get undressed. She heard her friend's sharp intake of breath as she saw the rest of the bruises that had blossomed over the day.

"Oh Sara. Look what he did to you."

Sara moved a little closer to the full-length mirror in her room, her eyes running over her body. There was bruising where she hadn't even realised he had hurt her, over her breast's, stomach and thighs, a matching pair of hand prints over her hips as well. She remembered how hard she had struggled and realized it must have happened then, still it was pretty amazing that she hadn't felt it. She gave Cathleen a slight smile in the mirror.

"I look like a punching bag."

"You sure you don't want a bath? It might help those muscles a little more then a shower would."

Sara shook her head as she traced her black eyes with gentle fingers.

"No, I would rather have a shower."

Cathleen shrugged before handing Sara a bottle of lavender body wash.

"Use this then ok? It's help you relax. Give me a yell if you need anything else, I'll be just outside the door."

Sara nodded back, watching Cathleen close the door behind her. She slipped under the hot spray and instantly felt better. She washed every inch of her body with the body wash, the lavender making her feel relaxed, just as Cathleen had promised. Sara stayed under the water for as long as she could before switching it off, wrapping a towel around her body before moving into her room. Cathleen was busy fussing around the room, laying out clothes for her, jeans and a baby blue turtleneck already on the bed. Sara made a move to try and dry her hair, gasping as her body protested with jets of pain. Cathleen caught the sound and moved to dry her hair herself. Sara let her, for a moment relaxing with the woman's gentle touch as she untangled her hair.

"Are you ok getting dressed?"

Sara shrugged slightly as she eyes the clothes.

"I should be."

Cathleen nodded and moved out of the room; giving Sara some much needed privacy. She struggled at first but soon discovered her limitations with her momevements and was able to avoid the ones that caused her too much pain. When she was done, she headed downstairs to the kitchen, hoping to grab a hot drink and maybe something to eat. The kitchen was empty, so she pottered around in the fridge, finding some left over scones that she popped in the microwave as she started the coffee machine. She heard the kitchen swing door open and she turned to find herself faced with Brian. His face had bruises and scratches on it as well, made by herself, Sara suspected. He stood calmly watching her as she gasped for breath, trying to get her body to move. She wasn't quite so helpless now though, she was in a kitchen, in a house filled with people. She reached out quickly, feeling her hand wrap around the think handle of a large knife, waving it at Brian.

"Leave me alone."

Brian took a step froward and Sara found herself pressed hard against the bench.

"They want to know if you will be pressing charges against me Sara. Will you? After all you wanted it as much as I did."

Sara shook her head.

"No I didn't. Leave now or I will scream."

Brian didn't make a move to leave so Sara opened her mouth and let out the loudest scream she could. She continued to scream until she ran out of air, taking yet another breath to repeat the process.

"I will tell them you wanted it as much as me."

Sara glared at him.

"I don't like you Brain, what in the world made you think that I would have sex with you?"

Brian gave her a slow smile, moving closer again until he was right in front of the knife, the blade pressing to his shirt.

"You watched me as much as I watched you."

Sara saw Grissom come into the kitchen before Brian realized that they were no longer alone. He moved closer still, the blade pressing harder.

"You would not stab me Sara. That's not what you're about. I know you Sara, I know what you need and what you want."

Grissom slipped silently up behind the man, a gun in his hand. For a brief second Sara wondered where he had gotten it, dismissing the thought just as quickly. She didn't care, all she wanted was for him to pull the trigger and blow Brian away. Instead he pressed the nuzzle to Brian's throat.

"Get away from her."

Brian smiled and turned to face Grissom, the gun coming to rest on his cheek.

"Are you really going to shoot me?"

Grissom cocked his head.

"No"

Grissom freed a hand from where it was grasping the gun, letting it come up to hit Brian in the face. As the man crumpled under the punch, Grissom moved quickly, using a set of handcuffs to keep him from moving too much, before dragging him out of the kitchen. Sara stayed where she was, the knife still in her hands, her heart thumping painfully in her chest. Grissom reappeared a few moments later, coming to stand beside Sara.

"You can put the knife down now Sara."

He gently pried her fingers off of the knife, placing it back on the bench top before taking Sara's hand in his own and leading her like a child into the living room, pushing her gently into a large seat by the fire. Sara watched him leave before letting herself get lost in the bright orange flame that was burning happily in the fireplace, the sudden sound of rain on the roof drawing her eyes to the window, watching the fat heavy drops hit the leaves and trees outside. She felt a sudden urge to go and walk in the rain, to get lost in the trees and never come back again. Grissom reappeared just as quickly, a large tray in his hands. Sara watched closely as he poured a cup of coffee topping it off with what looked like whisky.

"Why are you putting whisky in my coffee?"

Grissom said nothing as he offered her the mug. It was then, arms and hands extended did she see just how severely she was shaking. She frowned as she opened and closed her hands trying to still the movement.

"It's to stop the shaking. You're in shock."

"I'm fine."

Grissom shook his head as he poured himself a coffee adding only a little whisky in his own.

"No you're not. My mom was the same when my father died. She was drinking coffee and whisky for a week just to deal with her shaking."

Sara sipped the coffee, the whisky burning her throat pleasantly.

"Nobody died Grissom. I am honestly fine."

"A man tried to rape you and you're fine?"

Sara nodded hard, trying to convince herself more then Grissom.

"Then why are you shaking like a leaf? And why does it look like all the blood was drained from your body?"

"I must be cold."

Grissom frowned at her.

"Fine. But I'm here if you need me."

Sara nodded again as she continued to drink her alcohol laced coffee. It took another three before she stopped shaking, before her limbs felt wonderfully heavy, before her eyes started to close. Grissom didn't bother to ask her to try to walk, just scooped her up in his arms, as if she weighed nothing at all, carrying her up the steps and into her room. He took off her shoes before getting her under the covers. He took the seat next to the bed and switched on the TV. There was no way he was leaving her side while Brian was still downstairs. And since he could not trust himself to not kill the man for what he had done to Sara, he was going to stay right here, watching mindless TV until he was not quite so angry anymore. It was going to be a long night.


	5. Chapter 5

_(A/N – I wrote this chapter when I was ill and I'm quite happy with the way it turned out. So enjoy, read and review)_

Chapter Five – The Scientist

Sara couldn't cry anymore. The sobs continued to shake her body but no more tears made hot tracks down her face and for that she was grateful. The tears did nothing but remind her of what happened and she really didn't need that right now. She felt foolish enough with Grissom sleeping on the chair beside the bed, a thick rug over him, almost as if he was too scared to leave her side. Her own guardian angel, one that came in the form of a scientist. Sara moved as quietly as she could, pulling herself up the bed, trying to swing her legs over the side. But she couldn't even move her legs and her arms ached terribly. She tried harder, this time a sharp pain coming from her hips, and despite trying to be quiet, a large moan escaped her as the pain bounced around her battered body. She felt stupid again as her moan woke Grissom up, his cheek still imprinted from the pillow he had been sleeping on.

"Sara, are you ok?"

He was out of the chair and by her side in a matter of seconds, his eyes carefully looking her over, checking her for himself.

"I'm fine Grissom. I'm just having trouble moving."

Grissom pulled the blankets back slowly, exposing her bare legs to South Island's freezing temperatures. The normally pale skin of her legs was an almost complete maze of black and blue bruises, with cuts and scratches weaving in and out of the damaged skin.

"No wonder you can barely move. Look what that bastard did to you."

"I'm ok Grissom. Can you just help me get out of the bed please?"

"You need to stay in bed and rest."

Sara rolled her eyes at Grissom, trying to pretend the pain was less then it was.

"I need to use the bathroom."

"Oh, ok."

Grissom put an arm around her lower back, holding her hand so that she could brace herself against him, so she could go at the most comfortable speed.

"Ready?"

Sara nodded and gritted her teeth ready for the new wave of pain that she knew was coming.

"1,2,3!"

Sara pulled herself up out of the bed and almost collapsed with the pain. Grissom's arm around her lower back was her only source of support as her legs struggled to maintain her weight. They made their way across to the bathroom inch by inch, Sara's breathing heavy and labored by the time they got to the door. She grabbed at the door handle, hanging on tightly as she extracted herself from Grissom's arms.

"I'll take it from here."

She could hear Grissom pacing back and forth just outside the door, waiting for her to finish her business and for the third time within the hour she felt like a fool. She was a grown woman and yet she still needed help to the bathroom. Feel the pride. She washed her hands, leaning heavily on the sink before swinging the door open again. Grissom didn't say anything as he put his arm around her again and led her back to the bed, which he had roughly pulled back together, rearranging the pillows on the headboard. He eased her back into bed, taking her by the ankles gently, swinging her legs under the covers. He then shuffled around in his suitcase before pulling out a large black jersey.

"Put this on."

She did as he ordered, easing the rough material over her head, enjoying the way it hung on her, like a loose second skin.

"Thank you."

"I'm going to get us something to eat. You relax and watch some TV."

He handed her the remote before going out the door. Sara left the TV off, preferring her own company. She hated feeling like a cripple. All her life she had strived for independence and now she was stuck here, being looked after by Grissom, the one person who she had wanted to be strong in front of. She relied too heavily on herself, she knew that. Pushed herself too hard when it came to work, which left her personal life a barren wasteland. But in the last few years, things had slowly started to change. Her relationship with Grissom had improved and they had come to a somewhat unsteady understanding of where they each stood. It was still on opposite sides of the fence but at least now they were talking.

"Here we go, hot tea and toast."

Grissom carefully set the tray on her lap, the smell of cooked bread almost too much to resist. She didn't realize just how hungry she was. Grissom buttered the toast, adding plenty of homemade plum jam before carefully pouring the hot tea, adding plenty of milk and sugar.

"Eat Sara. You've been too long without food."

Sara smiled at him before beginning to eat, the tart sweetness of the jam making it that much better. She watched Grissom out of the corner out of her eye, he was eating with the same vigor that she was and for a moment they were back in their normal routine. This could have been any one of their meals at work, sitting in agreeable silence as they ate quickly before another case could interrupt their often rare meals. All too quickly, the toast had disappeared and Sara fought back the urge to ask Grissom to cook some more, sipping at her hot, sweet tea instead.

"Thank you Grissom that was exactly what I needed."

"Thank Cathleen. She had the tray already to go, she was going to come up here and check on you but I thought you might not want to be disturbed."

"Has he gone?"

"Yes. But Cathleen wanted to know if you would be pressing charges?"

"Is there a point?"

Grissom sighed and pulled his chair closer to the bed, his hand coming to rest on hers slightly, just his fingers, nothing else. It was a small intimate gesture, one that Sara appreciated.

"He tried to rape you Sara. You deserve some sort of justice."

"Will Cathleen be writing up a report?"

"According to David, yes. Brian will never be allowed anywhere the OFC and he will be getting reprimanded when he gets home."

"Reprimanded how?"

"He'll be kicked off the force. He's tried this more than once."

Sara nodded, her eyes coming to rest on Grissom's.

"What about a trial? We live in two different places."

"We'll work that out later. But you need to decide whether or not to press charges ok?"

"Ok"

Grissom gave her a wide smile before extracting his hand and picking the tray off the bed.

"Try to get some rest ok? I'm going to take this tray back down and call Catherine."

"Are you going to tell her what happened?"

"I have to Sara. You're still going to be pretty banged up by the time we get home."

Sara watched as he left the room again before switching on the TV. She couldn't quite comprehend what a trial would mean, and she was far too tired to care.

Grissom had just finished a rather complicated conversation with Catherine when it started to snow. It seemed rather appropriate that something so beautiful would happen so soon after something so devastating. It had always fascinated him that snow could be so deceptive, a little like a woman. It looked soft, smooth and white but when you got closer you could see the hard edges and the sometimes dirty outline of the snowflakes. Like everything else in this world, snow was not what it seemed.

"Are you ok?"

Cathleen, her bare feet making not sound at all on the hard wood floors, snuck up beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He broke from his thoughts and gave her a weak smile.

"Fine, I was just thinking about the snow."

Cathleen took the seat across from him, her glance following where his had been moments before, watching as the snow broke the green of the grass. Grissom took the moment in her distraction to study her. She hadn't slept, that much was obvious by the bags under her eyes and her pinched cheeks. Her hair, which when they had first arrived had been brushed back neatly, was now in a messy arrangement on the top of her head.

"How's Sara?"

"Not talking all that much. I asked her about pressing charges"

"And?"

"She wanted to think about it."

"Fair enough."

"What about you? How are you doing?"

Cathleen shook her head as she sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping.

"Not good. This whole thing has gotten the FBI up in arms and both David and I are not exactly popular with our boss."

"But this was hardly your fault. The FBI should have known Brian's history."

"I know that but you know what bosses are like. Covering their own asses to protect their reputation. Politics comes first."

Grissom nodded, he knew exactly what Cathleen was talking about. Catherine was constantly going on about how he needed to be more political and try as he might, he couldn't quite bring himself to cross that horrible black line. You seemed to loose something when you allowed politics to rule your job.

"Worried about the paper pushing, not the cases. Our lives would be so much easier if they just left us to it."

Cathleen laughed a little, her face relaxing slightly.

"I never thought I would ever hear someone like you say that."

"Someone like me?"

"You're a legend Gil and I guess it's a little odd to hear a legend being so cynical about what he does."

"Being cynical is the only way to survive."

Silence fell and Grissom looked at the window again, the snow thick and heavy on the ground by now.

"Can I ask you a personal question Gil?"

"By all means."

"Is there something going on with you and Sara?"

Grissom turned his head from the window, his attention on Cathleen completely. He wasn't sure how to answer that question. He had often entertained the idea of himself and Sara, but he could never bring himself to cross into that arena. There were too many personal and professional repercussions to even entertain the ideas that every so often ran through his head.

"What makes you think that?"

"I don't know. Just the way you guys are around each other."

"Well, we're not involved."

"But you like her right?"

"Of course I do, she's my colleague."

Cathleen gave him a sly smile, one that Catherine would be proud of.

"I know that but do you _like_ her?"

Grissom sighed and settled on saying the same thing he had been telling himself and others for years when ever the topic of himself and Sara came up.

"Sara and I have a long history and I admire her greatly – "

"I see you've practiced this speech plenty of times, so I'll save us both the trouble. You like Sara."

"That's a pretty general statement."

"As spectacular as human's think they are, we're a pretty boring species. You either like someone or you love someone. There's not a lot of grey area."

"So Miss Sociologist, what is your view on inter-office relationships?"

Cathleen sighed and settled herself further into her seat.

"I guess it depends. Under the right circumstances, it would be fine. I myself have caught myself in a few inter- office romances before I found myself in a awesome relationship."

"And you're happy?"

"Very"

Cathleen leaned forward, her hand resting on Grissom's knee, which for some reason didn't feel odd to him. Cathleen was one of those rare people that you instantly felt at ease with and found yourself liking despite not knowing her at all. Grissom put it down to her being so up front about who she was.

"Can I offer you some friendly advice?"

"And that would be?"

"Try it out with Sara. If you don't take the risk, you'll regret it Gil, and then by the time you realize what you've lost, it could be too late."

Cathleen gave his knee a quick squeeze accompanied by a wide smile before leaving the room. Grissom sighed and rubbed his face. He was confused and he hated that sensation.

When he returned upstairs sometime later, Sara was sleeping. She had moved down the bed in her sleep and her pillows were bunched around her head, the covers half off the bed. He moved silently into the room, shutting the curtains and switching off the television before moving to the side of the bed. With as little movement as possible, he moved the blankets back up the bed, pulling them right under her chin. He took his seat next to her bed, watching her as she slept. Cathleen was right in a way. If he waited too long he could loose her for good. He thought he had when she started going out with Hank and he hated him for it. He had wanted to kill him when he found out he had cheated on Sara. She had her share of problems but nobody deserved to be treated that way. But then there was the possibility of professional suicide. A relationship with a co-worker had serious implications not just for them. But for the team if something went wrong. Then again, it was Sara, who seemed to be his biggest weakness.

He leaned forward and allowed himself the luxury of touching her face, under the guise of examining her facial wounds. Her split lip was beginning to heal nicely, as were the scratches that dotted her fine features. She was a quick healer. His hand moved of its own accord down her cheek, stroking her soft skin. It moved to her jaw, over her chin and followed the gentle outline of her mouth before coming to rest on the smooth skin of her forehead. She looked relaxed when she slept, all the worry and stress gone from her features.

It took him a moment to realize that her eyes had opened but when he did he immediately dropped his hand from her face, opening his mouth to explain, closing it again as she leaned over and brought his hand back to her face. He hesitated for a moment before continuing his explorations of her face. He traced the soft shell of her ear, the delicate curves of her nose and the arching of her eyebrows before his eyes settled on hers. It was now or never. He leaned forward more and pressed his lips against hers, trying to avoid hurting her lip. Sara sighed slightly before pressing into the kiss more. They stayed like that for a few minutes before Sara broke the kiss, giving him her gap-flashing grin.

"You must be cold. Hop into bed with me."

He only thought for a split second before easing himself into the bed and curling his body around Sara's, spooning her. He couldn't describe it and even if he could, he didn't want to. The simplicity with which they fitted together was almost unbelievable, like two pieces of a puzzle finally coming together. Grissom inhaled the sweet scent of her hair and kissed the back of her neck, before settling more into the pillows.


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N - Finally finished!!!!! So read, enjoy and reveiw_

Chapter Six – Cupid's Choke Hold

It had been along time since Sara had shared a bed with a man and have nothing happen, well sexually speaking anyway, which surprised Sara. She would have thought that the moment she had gotten Grissom into bed, that sex would be the main thing that would happen. But it was almost impossible with her bruising. He had to help her change position on the bed so that she was facing him, her body pressed against his. They had kissed and touched, but mostly they just cuddled together, enjoying the intimate contact before they had fallen asleep in each others arms.

When Sara had woken up some time in the very late afternoon, Grissom was still wrapped around her, his grip tight. It had been a long time since Sara had felt this happy, this complete despite the circumstances surrounding what had brought them together. A small part of her didn't want Grissom to wake up, afraid that he would ruin it by saying it meant nothing and that this had been a mistake brought on by stress and fear. But he had crossed a line the moment he had climbed into bed beside her, she had given him a choice and he had chosen her over the safer option. That had to count for something. Then again, Grissom was Grissom and he did things that she didn't entirely expect. That was half of the attraction; she didn't always know what was coming. But the fact he had climbed into bed with her was almost as shocking as finding him stroking her face when she had woken up. He didn't make excuses; she hadn't given him a chance to. And she didn't regret her decision at all. Which all things considered, was a miracle within it's self. Sara silenced the thoughts in her head, trying to still the worry in her heart. She would leave the worrying for tomorrow. For now she was wrapped in Grissom's arms and she didn't want to think too much beyond that.

* * *

When Grissom woke up, the sun was no longer in the sky and Sara was no longer in the bed. He must have been in a deep sleep to not hear or feel Sara leave the bed. Grissom stretched before swinging his legs from the bed, instantly wishing he could return to the warmth. Thanks to the snow fall that afternoon there was a definite chill in the air. He moved to the bathroom, splashing water on his face before adding some extra layers of clothing and heading downstairs. It was pretty quiet which was the only reason he could hear Sara's voice emanating from the living room where he had been a few hours earlier. The fire was burning hot and bright as he entered the living room, Sara and Cathleen curled in front of it with hot drinks and popcorn.

"Hello ladies."

Cathleen glanced between Sara and Grissom, the same sly smile on her face. Grissom returned it with a bright smile of his own, taking a seat next to Sara on the thick carpet.

"How are you feeling?"

"Well-rested."

"Good"

They chatted casually for a little while longer and were just discussing what they were going to have for dinner when Andrew and Anna came into the living room, coats on and travel bags over their shoulders.

"We just wanted to come and say goodbye."

Grissom stood and embraced Andrew warmly, trying not to feel too disappointed that he didn't get to spend more time with his old friend.

"It was lovely to meet you Anna."

He gave her a quick embrace, watching as Sara did the same, then Cathleen. Andrew pulled him aside, a card in his hand.

"This time stay in contact ok Gil? You do know how to use email right?"

"Of course."

"Well then, no excuses."

They hugged again, and with a heavy heart, he watched them leave. They were the last people here now, and they were here for another two days before they could head home themselves. At least Sara would have a chance to heal a little more before they arrived back home.

* * *

The next two days disappeared quickly and all too soon they were saying good bye to Cathleen and David, loading themselves on a plane and heading home. There was a difference in this return trip though. Sara remained cuddled into his side, her head against his chest as she dozed the trip away. Grissom, for the life of him, could not sleep, he was too aware of what going home would mean. What they had done during the trip could be blamed on a number of things but once they got home, those things would be gone. No more excuses. He had a desperate desire to talk to Sara about it but he couldn't bring himself to disturb her, he didn't want her to move from her position on his chest. When sleep finally did claim him somewhere over London, it was Sara who he dreamed of and what would happen if this would be left in New Zealand.

Catherine was waiting for them at the airport, a wide smile on her face. Sara dropped his hand before Catherine could spot the public display of affection but Grissom got the feeling that she had seen it regardless. Catherine was a little too good at reading people to miss something like that.

"Hey guys. Welcome back."

She hugged them both before they headed to the luggage terminal, where they picked up their bags and headed into the Las Vegas heat. It was then that Grissom remembered why he hated going to small quiet places, because when he returned everything always felt too big, too busy and too bright. He squinted against the sun and tried not to wince as the never ending noises of the city assaulted his ears. Catherine held up the conversation with questions regarding the trip, avoiding the question he knew that she really wanted to ask. What had happened? When he had called her, he had kept the details limited, telling her that if she wanted to know then she was better off asking Sara. It was her story to tell, not his. Catherine dropped Sara off first, before heading to Grissom's.

"Is she ok?"

"She's fine."

"She was very quiet."

"She's just jet lagged. Speaking of which, I really need to sleep."

Catherine said nothing more regarding the issue; she could work on him more later. She waved at him as she drove off, heading back to work. Grissom and Sara still had a week of leave on their books.

* * *

Grissom awoke suddenly, unsure of what had woken him up. He had had a hard time getting to sleep, his body had adjusted to the cold of the South Island and Las Vegas was making him sweat more then usual. He heard the knock again and for a second was tempted to ignore it. But when the third and the forth knock came, he got the nasty feeling that the person on the other side of the door was not going to give up that easily. He padded to the front door, dressed in nothing but his cotton boxers, his skin slick with a thin sheen of sweat, pulling the door open ready to glare at the person on the other side. He hadn't expected to see Sara there, dressed in shorts and a small white shirt.

"I missed you."

She walked into his house and leaned into him, her forehead resting on his chest. He hesitated for a moment before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a tight hug. It was peculiar to show this kind of affection in broad daylight. While they had yet to have sex, they had kissed and caressed but it had always been hidden, their own little private world. They never discussed it, they just gravitated towards each other and at night they shared a bed. This was the first time Sara had mentioned any kind of emotional reasoning and it scared Grissom. He didn't regret what had happened in New Zealand but he was worried that in the real world, where they had work and friends, that this, whatever this was, could work at all.

"Can I stay here?"

Her voice was muffled as her face remained against his chest, her hands on the bare skin of his back.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Why is it a bad one?"

"Because I don't want to do anything that may have serious repercussions. You mean too much to me and I don't want to hurt you."

There had had finally said the words that he had wanted to say since the beginning. He cared for her, had always cared for her. Now she knew it. Sara moved slightly so that she could look at him, a small smile on her still bruised face.

"Really?"

"Really."

Sara sighed heavily, kissing him quickly on the lips before stepping back, her shirt sticking slightly to his bare skin.

"Ok. I had better go home then."

Grissom watched her go before he returned to his bed, his head suddenly pounding with a migraine. He thought he had made the right choice. Sending her home was better for both of them. She was still in shock over what happened and the last thing he wanted to do was make it worse. Not only that but for some reason he felt like he had to prepare himself for what he thought was coming. He valued Sara, always saw what she was made of, often long before she realized just what she was capable of. She was special in a way that he had never seen before and it felt strange to him that he could see that part of her just in a completely different, much more intimate light. Was he ready for that? Ready to take the plunge he had always avoided, letting someone get so close? And with that set of questions in his head, he abandoned any idea of sleep, choosing instead to go for a walk. He had a lot of thinking to do before he could talk to Sara again.

* * *

It took hours but by the time Grissom reached his decision he had somehow made it to Sara's front door. He was hot and tired but he was happy with what he had concluded on his walk around town. He didn't want to be alone anymore, he had found out that much about himself. He was sick of coming home to am empty house and the time he had spent with Sara had been some of the happiest moments in his life. He didn't want to be alone, on the outside, watching as people his age were building families and in some cases, becoming grandparents. He wanted that and he wanted Sara to be part of that. He knocked on the door once and waited for a few minutes before turning to leave. Maybe she had gone for a walk also.

"Grissom, what are you doing here?"

She was still dressed in the white shirt and shorts when she pulled the door open, her hair tangled from sleep, her eyes half closed.

"I needed to talk to you. Can I come in?"

"Of course. Excuse the mess though; I've never been the best at unpacking suitcases."

He gave he a smile as he moved into her home, Sara following him closely.

"What did you want to talk to me about?"

For a moment Grissom thought about how he was going to tell her the truth, how he was going to change their lives forever.

"Are you sick of coming home alone?"

Sara cocked her head slightly, her face questioning.

"Sometimes. Why?"

"What about your bed? Does it always seem a little too big?"

"What's with the twenty questions Grissom?"

Grissom held up his hands.

"Please just humor me, ok?"

"Ok. Sure it does sometimes."

"Do you find yourself watching a few too many movies alone?"

"Yes."

"And do you find yourself feeling lonely.?"

"Of course I do Grissom. It's called being single and working endlessly. Does this have a point?"

"Do you know what I've been doing all afternoon?"

"No, what?"

"Walking around town and thinking about you. And about what happened in New Zealand."

Sara shook her head,, her hand up, halting Grissom.

"I don't want to hear it Grissom. We can pretend that none of it happened, that's fine. We'll just go on with our lives, I can deal with that. Just don't tell me it's a mistake."

Sara made a move towards the door but Grissom caught her by the elbow, pulling her back towards him.

"I was never going to say that this was a mistake. Quite the opposite actually."

He felt Sara relax slightly under his hand but she didn't make any kind of move closer to him, but she didn't pull away completely either.

"Sara, what we did was amazing and it wasn't a mistake. In fact, it was a long time coming. I just hate the fact that you had to get hurt before I realized just what you meant to me."

For some reason, to him the words seemed small in comparison to what he was feeling. So he tugged Sara closer and kissed her with all the feeling he had, not leaving anything out. He was way out of his league, he had never had feelings like these before and for once in his life, he was going to listen to them. When he finally did stop kissing Sara, she leaned breathlessly against him.

"Any doubts about how I feel now?"

Sara smiled, flashing her gap at him.

"None at all. But Ido have a question though. How is it that we somehow shared a bed and never had sex?"

"Because you and I are a little special that way."

Grissom made a promise to himself that he would not loose touch with anyone that he had met in New Zealand and for once, he was holding himself to it. As quietly as possible, as not to disturb the sleeping beauty beside him, he opened up Sara's laptop and accessed his email account.

_Dear Cathleen,_

_So I finally took your advice. As I type this Sara is sleeping peacefully beside me and I am the happiest guy in the world. Thank you for everything you did for us, before and after the attack. _

_Do you know what's going on with Brian yet?_

_Say hi to David for us,_

_Gil_

Grissom shut off his account and settled back beside Sara on the bed, curving his body around hers, until he could feel every inch of her against him. He didn't want to lose this feeling of absolute happiness, of innocence and intimacy. It was all too new and fresh and he loved how it felt. Like fresh sheets and the incredible smell in the air just before it rained. Things were never going to be the same again. For once in his life, he would have to share everything but for some strange reason he was looking forward to it. He had spent his whole life keeping his cards close to his chest, but now he could finally reveal his hand and not get mocked for it. Sara would see all the little habits that made up his daily routine outside of work, like eating too much ice-cream and being addicted to Monty Python. People never knew these things about him and he liked it that way. Sara had changed that. She had a tendency to change things, his beautiful, wonderful Sara, and that's he loved about her. She made her own rules.

"What are you thinking about?"

Sara was now awake beside him, turning to face him, her head coming to rest neatly in the crook of his shoulder.

"You."

"You are making my ego huge, you know that right?"

"You did always say you have a healthy ego."

Sara smiled at him before running her hand over his face.

"You're not going to do a runner on me, are you?"

Grissom frowned at her as the smile fell from her face.

"A runner?"

"You have a tendency to pull away every time I confront you about us. I just want to know that I'm not going to wake up in the morning and find you gone. I don't think I could deal with that."

Grissom stroked Sara's tussled hair, surprised by his own stupidity. How could have passed by her every day and not see what was there?  
"I'll be here when you wake up, I promise."

"Always?"

"Unless I have work or feel the need to make you breakfast in bed, I will be here."

Sara snuggled closer, her eyes drifting closed. Soon her breathing became deep and even, she must be exhausted after their long flight home. Grissom was tired too but he didn't want to sleep. He was more then content with laying with Sara in his arms, for once not having a care in the world.

* * *

Catherine knew something was up. She knew enough about Grissom to know when something shifted in his life and whatever was going on, it was a huge shift. He was happy for the first time in a

long time and the smile on his face proved it to the rest of the world. She didn't get a chance to talk to him until a good fortnight after he returned to work. She watched at the door of his office as he shifted through files that had piled up while he was away, things that had to be pushed aside when they had a quadruple murder on his first night back.

"Catherine?"

He didn't look up, just said her name with the same even tone he always did.

"Grissom, I wanted to talk to you for a few minutes."

"Come in and have a seat. As long as you don't mind me doing two things at once, then I've got time for you."

Catherine took the seat across from him, studying his bent head as he continued to work.

"I know about you and Sara."

Grissom's pen dropped from his hand, his eyes traveling from his paperwork to meet hers.

"Sorry?"

"I know about you and Sara."

Grissom, to his credit, didn't fall for the bait immediately, he side stepped the statement with another question.

"What makes you think that there is anything going on with Sara and I?"

"Did you forget Grissom, that I am good at reading people, especially you. Don't think that I don't see those looks you and Sara give each other, or the fact that you have the same days off and that you always sneak off together."

Grissom just shrugged, not quite ready to say the words out loud. He had just gotten used to using the words himself, still getting used to having Sara in his bed and in his heart. Catherine rolled her eyes at him, a smile tugging at her mouth.

"I know Grissom. You can tell me or deny comment but I follow the evidence for a living and it's leading back to you."

"Does anyone else know?"

"No."

"Good, please keep it that way. Sara and I are….our own business."

"You know I'll keep it quiet but you need to do me a favor."

"And that would be?"

"Be careful. The cat's out of the bag and it's got claws, I don't want either of you to get hurt."

Grissom gave her a small smile.

"I'm a big boy Catherine, I can take care of myself."

"I know, I just like you both too much to see this fail."

"It's not going to fail."

"And how do you know that?"

"Because good things take time and we've been brewing for ten years now. If the adage is true, we'll be fine."

Catherine gave him a warm smile

"Good. You both deserve some happiness."

"I agree completely. Have you talked to Sara?"

"Not yet. Am I allowed too?"

Grissom shrugged.

"You can if you want to. She needs to talk to someone about what happened."

The lightness in the banter disappeared and something dark and unhappy drifted into the room. Catherine sighed and ran a quick hand through her hair.

"I know you gave me a brief outline before you got back but it hardly explains why Sara has been so quiet lately."

Grissom took a deep breath and started from the beginning, filling Catherine in completely, right down to what they had for dinner each night. When it came to the attack, he described it the way Sara had to him, his hands shaking on his desk. He was still angry; he could feel it weaving lazily through his body. Catherine listened silently, her eyes on his, her hands still on her lap. Grissom finally finished his story of the worse working holiday ever, his shoulders sagging slightly. He felt drained.

"Can I ask you a personal question?"

Grissom nodded.

"By all means"

"Did you sleep with Sara while you were away?"

Grissom paused, enjoying the torture on Catherine's face, she was dying to know.

"Define sleeping"

Catherine spoke slowly, as if talking to an unknowledgeable child.

"Did you have sex with her?"

"No, but we did sleep together."

Catherine nodded before standing.

"Will she be ok?"

"She should be fine"

"Good"

Catherine gave him a quick smile before leaving his office, closing the door behind her. Grissom paused briefly to linger on his thoughts before focusing back on his paper work, his pen moving in well practiced arcs.

* * *

Sara wasn't home when he got there, the note on the fridge telling him that she had gone shopping. He stripped off his clothes and started the shower, making sure the water was nice and hot before plunging himself into the heat. After he had showered he padded into the bedroom and switched his laptop on and accessing his account.

_Dear Gil,_

_Brian is no longer an issue. Sadly enough, he killed himself a little over a week ago, decided that a bullet was far more attractive then jail. I don't pity the loss of his life, I feel pity for his family. He had three daughters, a son and a wife. Hate the sin not the sinner. Sara won't have to go to trial, a huge relief for you both. _

_As for David and I, the Brian incident got us both fired. It only lasted a week or so before our bosses battled the much larger ones and got our lives back on track, but for a little while there I thought I would have to dip into the things I learnt in teachers college. Me, a teacher? I don't see that happening. More like Kindergarten Cop rather then Mary Poppins._

_So keep in touch ok? I need something to do locked up inside until winter dies down. Oh and before I forget, congratulations for finally seeing what we saw all along. You guys make an awesome couple. Matched made in New Zealand, huh? _

_David says hi._

_Keep yourselves out of trouble._

_Cathleen_

Grissom didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Sara would not have to relive this nightmare by being a witness in court and no other woman will have to endure what Brian did to Sara. But a loss of a life is a loss felt by all. Brian chose his own way out but his family would have to live with the consequences of his actions. His children will grow up without a father and Grissom knew from personal experience that that was no way to live. A father was something that every child needed, as well as a mother. With a sad sigh, Grissom pushed the laptop aside and was about to set out his clothes for tomorrow when he heard the front door open.

"Grissom! Can I have hand with the shopping please?"

Sara struggled through the door with her arms loaded with paper bags. He helped her set them on the bench and they began reloading the cupboards and the refrigerator.

"I just realized something"

Sara didn't pause as she slipped the jar of mustard in the fridge to sit next to the cheese.

"What?"

"We're like an old married couple"

"Really?"

"I'm at work and you're off shopping. Next thing I know you'll be making roast dinners and wearing aprons."

Sara cracked a smile as she whacked Grissom gently on his arm.

"Don't count on it buddy."

Grissom waited until they had everything unpacked and they were settled on the sofa drinking hot chocolate before he dropped the bomb.

"I got an email from Cathleen today"

"And what did she have to say for herself?"

"Brian…..he killed himself"

Sara put down her cup, swallowing hard.

"How?"

"Shot himself. He did it just over a week ago"

"So no trial?"

"No trial"

Sara moved closer to Grissom, her hand coming to rest on his knee.

"Is it bad that I feel so relieved?"

"No, it's perfectly normal. He hurt you Sara, and now you and all the other potential victims out there can relax. He's not going to hurt anyone else."

"Good."

They finished their hot chocolates and Sara flashed him a smile as she stood, picking his empty mug at the same time.

"How about I make us some dinner?"

"Sounds good. I feel like a roast"

Sara gave him a glare mixed with a smile.

"Macaroni and cheese it is."

Grissom laughed as she headed to the kitchen. It was good to be home and even better to be at home with Sara. He could finally see her and he could not believe how beautiful she truly was. Even though Grissom was not a fan of change, this was a change he was more then happy to live with. He had Sara and everything else could fall in line behind that.


End file.
